The Test
by Helen w
Summary: He looked in, people drinking that all too familiar drug, people chatting, people laughing, people . . . no, he stopped and did a double take, not her, not here." (Carby)


The Test  
  
Category - angst/romance  
  
Rating - G  
  
Disclaimer - I don't own these characters, nor do I claim to.  
  
Spoilers - none  
  
Time - set in between 'The Letter' and 'Lockdown'.  
  
Authors notes - Slightly weird, slightly abstract, as ever. It doesn't *feel* completed but I was stuck as to what else I could write, so decided to post it anyway.  
  
***  
  
Carter wrapped his coat round him, as the biting Chicago wind ripped right through him. He cast his mind back over the last hour, sitting in that familiar meeting room, listening to peoples stories, becoming immersed in someone else's life story. It was what he had needed, to forget about his own problems, his own concerns and worries. Truth be told he had gone on a whim, Abby had vaguely said she couldn't meet him tonight, she had errands to run, but she had seemed reluctant to give any details, so as he had learnt: he let it pass.  
  
As he walked along Navy pier, passing the miscellany of bars and shops, he looked in, people drinking that all too familiar drug, people chatting, people laughing, people . . . no, he stopped and did a double take, not her, not here, he looked more closely, that was definitely her, sitting at the window staring into space . . . with a drink in front of her.  
  
Her eyes locked with his and he saw her visibly flinch, but still meet him dead in the eyes as if challenging him. He stood there paralysed as if debating whether to continue or not. His eyes flickered away, as he pondered walking on, pretending he hadn't seen anything. But he knew there was only one way to get answers. He seemed took a deep breath, composed himself and eventually he turned and headed towards the door.  
  
***  
  
Involuntarily she sighed, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, of all the bars in all the town, she thought wryly. She steeled herself for what was to come.  
  
She heard the seat next to her scrape against the floor, and a quiet voice asked, "is this seat taken?"  
  
She shook her head and opened her eyes, to see him staring out of the window. She dared to speak first, "so were you in the neighbourhood . . . or . . . ?"  
  
He looked at her, his expression unreadable, and eyes dead to anyone else but her, to her hard not to see the disappointment. "I was out for a stroll."  
  
She raised her eyebrows in disbelief, "Carter it's freezing out there."  
  
He looked at her quickly then at his hands, he decided to try and set the tone for the evening by answering with complete honesty, "I went . . . " he faltered, but still forced himself to get the words out. "I went to a meeting."  
  
"You haven't . . . ?" her mouth said, before her brain could stop her.  
  
"God, no." he said with vehemence, momentarily pained at her lack of faith, as he prayed it wasn't alcohol that was loosening her tongue.  
  
"Oh", she said, for once at a loss for words. She tried to explain herself, "it's just you don't normally . . . ." she trailed off, unsure of what she could say.  
  
Carter nodded, looking somewhat defeated, "yeah I just", he sighed, "I don't know". Things haven't been right lately, a pained voice said in his head. Tired of this charade, he looked at her drink, then at her. His eyes begging for an explanation.  
  
Abby smiled self deprecatingly, she had known this was coming from the moment she saw him. Willing herself not to look at his face, she concentrated on her hands, which were wrapped round the glass. "It's a test", she stated matter-of-factly, "like. . . a tradition."  
  
He looked at her quizzically, trying to work out what she was getting at.  
  
"It's a test", she continued, "to see if I can spend a night in a bar, in my own company."  
  
Carter nodded and against his better judgement he pointed at her drink, "and that's . . .?"  
  
"Orange juice", she clarified, "want a taste?" She asked flippantly, but her eyes didn't match the lightness of her tone.  
  
He looked at her curiously; by now he could read her like a book, he didn't need to work out what the ulterior motive was. He was surprised she had needed to ask. He shook his head emphatically, "I'm not thirsty."  
  
Abby sighed, and resumed her previous activity of staring out the window, people watching. Suddenly snapping up as if she made a decision. She finished the rest of her drink, "wanna get out of here?" She asked, as she scraped her chair back.  
  
He smiled at her sudden change of heart, "I thought you had to spend an evening?"  
  
She held out her hand to him as she grinned back, "this time things are different, I think I'll make an exception."  
  
*** 


End file.
